Chapter 10

Once he was able to study the changes to his cells a lot of his excitement faded. His body was damaged at a deep level. His cells had been infected with a black fluid like energy which he pictured as a sticky tar covering each individual cell.

He knew what it was and he should have expected something like this after the flux had rampaged through his body unchecked for so long. It was the waste product of flux energy changing matter. He would need to get rid of it as soon as possible.

The black substance was highly contaminating, from what his Grandfather said it was the reason most people affected by the flux eventually went insane becoming monsters.

He would need time to purge his cells and a source of pure water. He could distil the water from any water source but he would need a safe place to start.

Standing he stretched out his muscles from his sitting for so long out of habit before noticing that he was not stiff in the least. He felt great better than he had any right to after seeing the damage to his body. The changes were great as long as he could purge the corruption he would be many times stronger than he had been before.

Setting off again Layan pushed himself much harder than the morning. He was pressed for time and like a kid with a new toy he wanted to know what his new limits were despite knowing how dangerous it was to push too hard while he was infected with the black flux.

It was about an hour later that he had his first of many encounters with the new inhabitants of the forest. He was running flat out along the spine of an ancient fallen giant pine. Dodging and swinging around the dead branches along the length. His attention was not quite as focused as normal and he was almost taken by surprise when the Stag leapt from the bushes to his left it's antlers thrusting towards him at abnormal speed.

Seeing the animal at the last moment he was only able to let himself fall under the deer's leap avoiding the antlers but still getting a nasty kick for his inattention.

Rolling under the log he cursed his stupidity for letting his excitement get the better of him as he drew his swords. The Deer was turning towards him once more and he was able to get a good look at it for the first time.

It was dead, that was his first impression. There was a massive wound where its stomach used to be and the creature was covered in thick black lines. The eyes were missing and something had been eating its cheek. Looking with his Sight he could see and feel a glow of energy around the beast.

So this is what they are like he thought as he dove over the log as the deer leap for him once more. He slashed out with both his blades as he passed underneath. His swords sharp and strong cut easily through the neck of the deer nearly severing its head in a cross slash before he tucked and rolled out of reach.

Spinning as he came to his feet he watched the deer stumble and fall the wound on its neck enough to cause its neck to snap as it planted its antlers into the ground and flipped sideways.

It was still moving even with a crushed spinal column. The blood flowing from the wound was black and thick like he imagined the corruption in his own cells to be. He walked over and planted his blades through the cavity where his eye used to be. The monster finally stopped moving, dying for the second time.

It was a splash of cold water after the fight as he knew the same fate awaited him if he did not do something about the black flux as soon as possible.